1000 Years of Musical Listening - Essay and Short Answer Questions

Short Answer: In movements of sonatas, concertos, symphonies, and string quartets composed between ca. 1750 and 1950 that are written in sonata-allegro form, one section builds up tension and the listener perceives a sense of activity and restlessness. Themes are varied, expanded, contracted, broken into motives, or combined with other motives and new material (fugue-like passages are often featured). But the tension is then released, and themes and motives that were presented earlier are finally reinstated in a new section. Please name these two sections and one piece that we have covered that presents them.

The two sections are the development and the recapitulation. One piece that presents them is Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, first movement.

Short Answer: Name two non-vocal compositions that we have studied (author and title) which can definitely be assigned to the category of "program music," and why.

• Berlioz – Symphonie fantastique, IV and V: This is program music because it tells a detailed story about an artist's opium-induced visions, with each movement representing a different scene, such as a ball, a march to the scaffold, and a witches' sabbath.

• Debussy: Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun”: This piece is programmatic because it evokes the dreamlike fantasies of a faun in a warm forest setting, inspired by a poem by Stéphane Mallarmé. The music aims to express mood, atmosphere, and imagery rather than follow a formal narrative.

Short Answer: Choose two of the works we studied that were composed for a ballet. Name the composer and at least one of the other artists (dancer, choreographer, set designer, scene painter, producer) who was involved in the premiere or one of their historically important performances.

• Igor Stravinsky – The Rite of Spring: Composed for the Ballets Russes, it was choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky and produced by Sergei Diaghilev. The 1913 premiere in Paris is famous for sparking a riot due to its avant-garde music and choreography.

• Tchaikovsky – The Nutcracker: Choreographed by Marius Petipa (initial planning) and completed by Lev Ivanov for the premiere in 1892. The original production featured elaborate stage designs and was part of a double bill at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.

Short Answer: Four important movements (or currents) in art history: Impressionism, Symbolism, Expressionism, and Primitivism, found a correspondence in classical music between the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century. Name two composers related to two of the four movements/currents by mentioning the titles of the works that can be associated with these movements.

• Claude Debussy – Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun”: Associated with Impressionism, this piece mirrors the movement’s emphasis on atmosphere, subtle color, and suggestion rather than clear structure or narrative, much like Impressionist painting.

• Igor Stravinsky – The Rite of Spring: Associated with Primitivism, this ballet evokes ancient, tribal rituals through driving rhythms, dissonance, and raw energy, reflecting the Primitivist fascination with early, non-Western cultures and a return to elemental forces.

Essay: In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, composers in Europe and the United States used folk music for different purposes, often in conjunction with nationalistic aspirations. Choose two composers and discuss and compare their approaches by focusing on two pieces (one by each composer).

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, composers in Europe and the United States increasingly turned to folk music as a means of expressing national identity and cultural pride. This use of folk elements often aligned with nationalistic movements, as artists sought to reflect and preserve the character of their people through music. Two composers who exemplified this approach were Antonín Dvořák and Aaron Copland. Through Symphony No. 8 and Appalachian Spring, respectively, they each incorporated folk influences to create works that resonated with the cultural and national ideals of their time.

Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 in G major, composed in 1889, is a vivid expression of Czech national identity. Unlike his later New World Symphony, which reflects his impressions of America, Symphony No. 8 is rooted firmly in the folk traditions of Dvořák’s homeland. The piece features dance-like rhythms, modal harmonies, and melodic shapes reminiscent of Bohemian folk songs, although Dvořák does not quote any specific folk tunes. Instead, he uses the symphonic form to convey the spirit and vibrancy of Czech village life, celebrating a sense of national pride during a period when the Czech lands were under Austro-Hungarian rule.

In contrast, American composer Aaron Copland used folk music to create a unifying national style that reflected the ideals of rural simplicity and democratic spirit. His 1944 ballet Appalachian Spring incorporates the Shaker tune “Simple Gifts” within a serene and open musical texture. Copland’s style, marked by clear tonality and spacious orchestration, evokes the American landscape and emphasizes inclusivity and optimism. Unlike Dvořák, whose folk inspiration stemmed from a specific ethnic tradition, Copland sought to represent a broader and more idealized vision of America’s cultural identity.

The comparison between Symphony No. 8 and Appalachian Spring reveals how both composers used folk elements to serve nationalistic ends, but in different ways. Dvořák’s symphony promotes Czech culture through music that embodies its local flavor and rhythms, asserting a unique national identity under imperial rule. Copland, by contrast, uses folk material to craft a generalized sense of American identity, unifying diverse cultural threads into a common musical language. While Dvořák’s work reflects cultural preservation, Copland’s composition emphasizes cultural construction and imagination.

In conclusion, both Antonín Dvořák and Aaron Copland demonstrate how folk music can be transformed into powerful national symbols through classical composition. Symphony No. 8 and Appalachian Spring serve as compelling examples of how composers drew on folk traditions to celebrate their nations’ pasts and envision their futures. Whether capturing the essence of a specific ethnic heritage or shaping a collective national sound, their works highlight the enduring role of folk music in shaping musical identity across time and place.

Essay: Verdi and Wagner lived in the same period, yet their approaches to opera differed. Discuss at least three points of divergence and provide one example based on the music we have studied.

Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner were two towering figures of nineteenth-century opera who lived and worked during the same era, yet their compositional philosophies and approaches to opera diverged significantly. Both composers revolutionized the operatic tradition, but while Verdi focused on the primacy of the human voice and dramatic expression, Wagner pursued a more integrated, total art form that blurred the lines between music, drama, and staging. Their differences can be understood through three key points of divergence: their treatment of the orchestra and voice, their use of structure, and their views on the role of drama in opera.

First, Verdi prioritized vocal melody and the emotional expressiveness of the human voice. In his operas, such as Rigoletto, Act III, arias and ensembles are built to highlight the singers’ dramatic capabilities and lyrical phrasing. The quartet “Bella figlia dell’amore” is a perfect example—it layers four vocal lines, each expressing a distinct emotion, while the orchestra provides supportive but restrained accompaniment. In contrast, Wagner expanded the role of the orchestra to be an equal partner in storytelling. In works like Die Walküre, the orchestra conveys leitmotifs—recurring musical ideas linked to characters and themes—that develop throughout the drama and often carry more narrative weight than the vocal lines themselves.

Second, their structural approaches to opera reveal a major point of divergence. Verdi retained many traditional forms, such as arias, duets, and choruses, and used them as dramatic signposts. Even though his later works moved toward more continuous expression, the formal elements remain visible, as seen in Rigoletto, where Act III progresses through distinct musical numbers. Wagner, by contrast, rejected set pieces in favor of continuous musical flow. His “endless melody” technique in Die Walküre avoids breaks between scenes, creating a seamless fusion of music and drama throughout the entire act.

Third, their views on drama also contrasted sharply. Verdi’s operas are grounded in human emotion, political injustice, and social realism. Rigoletto explores personal suffering, revenge, and power dynamics in a corrupt society, giving the audience emotionally immediate and morally complex characters. Wagner, on the other hand, embraced mythological and philosophical themes. Die Walküre centers on divine figures and metaphysical struggles, with characters like Wotan and Brünnhilde representing larger ideas such as destiny and sacrifice rather than ordinary human experience.

An example that highlights these differences is Verdi’s Rigoletto, Act III, compared with Wagner’s Die Walküre. In the famous quartet from Rigoletto, each character’s inner world is expressed through distinct vocal lines, with the orchestra gently underpinning the drama without overwhelming it. In contrast, the “Ride of the Valkyries” from Die Walküre is driven by powerful orchestration and recurring motifs that narrate the scene on their own, independent of vocal text. These differences underscore Verdi’s commitment to vocal drama and human emotion versus Wagner’s vision of opera as an all-encompassing mythic and musical experience.

Essay: In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, composers made music primarily for dance and ballet, but then their pieces were also performed in concert settings; or, as in the case of Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faune, the opposite was true. Choose two examples by first describing the main occasions, venues, and collaborators to discuss then the respective approaches, aesthetic differences or similarities, and the resulting combination of sonic and visual aspects also based, if you wish, on the videos we watched in class.

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the boundaries between dance music and concert music began to blur as composers created works that moved between the stage and the concert hall. Some pieces originally written for dance or ballet were later performed as orchestral works, while others began as concert pieces and were later choreographed. This fluidity allowed for unique collaborations between composers, choreographers, dancers, and visual artists, resulting in dynamic fusions of sound and movement. Two works that reflect this transformation in different ways are Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and Claude Debussy’s Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun”.

Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring was originally composed for the Ballets Russes and premiered in Paris in 1913. The production brought together several major figures: Stravinsky as the composer, Vaslav Nijinsky as the choreographer, and Sergei Diaghilev as the producer. The ballet was performed at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and infamously caused a riot at its premiere due to its radical choreography, primitive themes, and dissonant music. Though it was initially written for ballet, The Rite of Spring quickly found a second life as a concert piece, with its driving rhythms, innovative orchestration, and raw energy captivating orchestras and audiences worldwide even without the visual element.

In contrast, Debussy’s Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun” was composed in 1894 as a symphonic poem, meant to be experienced in a concert setting. It was inspired by a poem by Stéphane Mallarmé and focuses on atmosphere, sensuality, and impressionistic color rather than a concrete narrative. However, in 1912, it was choreographed by Nijinsky for the Ballets Russes, turning the dreamy soundscape into a stylized visual performance. The ballet version emphasized subtle movements and static poses, echoing the hazy and ambiguous nature of Debussy’s music. This reversal—from concert hall to ballet stage—shows how musical abstraction could inspire entirely new forms of visual storytelling.

While both works were connected to dance and the Ballets Russes, their aesthetic approaches diverge. The Rite of Spring is aggressive, rhythmic, and rooted in ritualistic primitivism, reflecting a fascination with ancient and untamed forces. In contrast, Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun is fluid, atmospheric, and suggestive, embodying the ideals of French Impressionism. Yet both pieces, when paired with choreography, create powerful combinations of music and movement. In the videos watched in class, the visual elements of each performance highlighted the composers’ differing styles: The Rite featured sharp, percussive group movements, while Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun” offered languid, almost statuesque gestures that matched its sensual tones.

These two examples illustrate how music created for one medium could be transformed by another, enriching both its sonic and visual impact. Whether ballet music that stands alone as orchestral art, like The Rite of Spring, or concert music reimagined through dance, like Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun”, the cross-pollination between music and dance in this era led to some of the most innovative and influential artistic achievements of the modern period. These collaborations continue to influence how we experience music and movement as interwoven forms of expression.

Essay: Despite their different genres, Pierrot Lunaire and Wozzeck share aspects of their musical language and aesthetics. Discuss the historical links between the two composers and their contexts, and a passage from each work that struck you as particularly emotionally effective and why.

Though Arnold Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire and Alban Berg’s Wozzeck belong to different musical genres—song cycle and opera, respectively—they share a deeply expressive and modernist musical language. Both works emerged in early twentieth-century Vienna, a time of artistic experimentation, psychological exploration, and social upheaval. Schoenberg and Berg were part of the Second Viennese School, a circle of composers pushing the boundaries of tonality and musical form. Under Schoenberg’s mentorship, Berg developed a style that combined rigorous technique with intense emotional expression, and this connection is clearly reflected in the shared aesthetics and expressive aims of both compositions.

Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire (1912) is a landmark work that uses Sprechstimme, a vocal technique between speaking and singing, which gives the piece a haunting, expressionistic quality. The work sets 21 poems by Albert Giraud, creating a surreal and fragmented emotional landscape. Similarly, Berg’s Wozzeck (1925) employs atonality and intricate leitmotivic writing to portray the psychological deterioration of its protagonist. Both works explore themes of alienation, madness, and inner torment, using dissonance, irregular rhythms, and fragmented forms to evoke unstable mental states. These musical choices reflect the influence of Freud’s psychoanalytic ideas and the broader cultural climate of anxiety in pre- and post-World War I Europe.

A particularly striking passage in Pierrot Lunaire is “Mondestrunken” (“Moondrunk”), the opening movement. The eerie use of Sprechstimme and the unstable harmonic background create a dreamlike and unsettling atmosphere. The flute and piano weave in and out of the voice, evoking the strange intoxication the poem describes. This movement immediately immerses the listener in the disoriented, emotionally charged world of Pierrot, embodying a kind of lyrical madness that feels both delicate and grotesque. Its effectiveness lies in how it captures irrationality and vulnerability through timbre and phrasing rather than conventional melody.

In Berg’s Wozzeck, one of the most emotionally powerful scenes occurs in Act III, Scene 2, when Wozzeck drowns in the lake after murdering Marie. The orchestration becomes chaotic, with overlapping, dissonant textures that reflect his psychological collapse and the surrounding natural horror. The emotional impact is intensified by the way Berg combines formal structure—a passacaglia based on a repeating bass line—with expressionist harmonic language. The music doesn’t just accompany Wozzeck’s death—it embodies his confusion, guilt, and inevitable demise, creating a moment of raw, tragic inevitability.

In conclusion, Pierrot Lunaire and Wozzeck, despite their differences in form and scope, share a musical language that foregrounds psychological intensity and emotional fragmentation. The historical connection between Schoenberg and Berg, as mentor and student, is key to understanding how these works align in their expressionist aesthetic and modernist techniques. Both pieces use atonality, complex textures, and unconventional vocal writing to probe the human psyche, and their most emotionally effective passages demonstrate how music can portray internal states as vividly as any narrative or image.